Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
Though they taste like a combination of citrus, peach and mango, loquats are actually related to apples. In fact they are similar in many aspects, both having high sugar, acid and pectin content. Meaning...they're excellent for canning!
I've wanted to make banana jam for quite sometime well luck would have it that my local farmers market had bags of seconds on bananas. So here is my newest favorite creation.
And you thought bacon was only a Western thing. Not so. The Chinese make all sorts of fantastic pork belly products, and this one, smoked with chile, cinnamon, star anise and Sichuan peppercorn, is one of the best.
A subconscious scary cellar memory may have held me back from making preserves until now -- but I've conquered my canning fear with this homemade apple butter.
